Lake Tahoe Airport traffic pattern

Pattern altitude at Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL · KTVL) is 7,300 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) by the standard convention — none is published for this field, and 36 is charted right traffic.

All of Lake Tahoe Airport — runways, frequencies, charts and live weather

Pattern diagram

Drawn to scale from the FAA NASR runway alignments and the per end right traffic flags — pick a runway to see its pattern. Live wind picks the favored runway when KTVL reports it.

RWY 18LEFT traffic

Heading: 177° mag · 193° true
Dimensions: 8,541 × 100 ft
TPA: 7,300 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) · standard
Surface: Asphalt
Lights: 4-light PAPI (left) (3°) + MALSF
ILS: LDA/DME · CAT I · LOC 108.9 (TVL)
Displaced thr: 800 ft
CTAF: 122.85

Enter the left downwind (heading 357°) on the 45° at 7,300 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL).

More details — RWY 18

Threshold elev: 6,255 ft
Markings: nonprecision
Approach obstacle: Brush, 13 ft, 450 ft from threshold, 125 ft L of centerline — 19:1 slope to clear · penetrates the 20:1 visual approach surface
Threshold crossing height: 48 ft
TDZ elevation: 6,259 ft
Declared TORA/TODA/ASDA/LDA: 8,541 / 8,541 / 7,817 / 7,017 ft

Condition: Excellent. Edge lights: Med. Surface: Grooved. Weight bearing: Single wheel 70k, Double wheel 125k, Dual tandem 210k.

Pattern side + displaced threshold: FAA NASR · TPA standard 1,000 ft AGL (not charted) · layout: FAA runway-end coordinates

Pattern direction by runway

Runway	Pattern	Heading	Pattern altitude
18	Left traffic	177° mag	7,300 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
36	Right traffic	357° mag	7,300 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)

No pattern altitude is published for KTVL; the figure above is the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention for propeller aircraft, rounded to the field. Turbine aircraft normally fly 1,500 ft AGL. Headings are the runway alignment; downwind is the reciprocal.

Flying the pattern at KTVL

Lake Tahoe Airport is non towered, so the pattern is self announced on CTAF 122.85. AC 90-66B asks for a report on entry and on each leg, and for the standard 45° entry to downwind at pattern altitude.

Watch the right traffic ends here: 36. A right pattern at a field where the other end is left is the single most common place to end up pointing at opposing traffic. The full entry procedure is here →

Frequently asked

What is the traffic pattern altitude at KTVL?

Lake Tahoe Airport has no traffic pattern altitude published in the FAA NASR data. The AC 90-66B convention for propeller aircraft is 1,000 ft AGL, which works out to roughly 7,300 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) here — but confirm it against the Chart Supplement before you fly, since a field can have a non standard pattern altitude that NASR does not carry.

Does KTVL have right traffic?

Yes, on one runway end: 36. Every other end at Lake Tahoe Airport is standard left traffic.

What frequency is the pattern on at KTVL?

Lake Tahoe Airport is non towered, so pattern position reports go on the CTAF, 122.85. AC 90-66B asks for self announcing on entry and on each leg.

More about KTVL

Pattern direction and alignment are drawn from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle); the diagram is generated, not an FAA chart. Pattern altitude is shown as published where NASR carries one, otherwise as the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention. For planning and education only; always verify against the Chart Supplement.